3 Steps to a Daily Homeschool Routine for Your Family
One of the quickest ways to set your homeschool up for success is by creating a daily homeschool routine that best serves your family. As multiple studies show, setting up a daily routine benefits your sleep, mental health, physical health, and also family relationships. When you and your children have a general plan for how the day will go, your homeschool and work assignments go more smoothly.
Given the variety of tips, tricks, and ideas on this topic, I want to share three simple steps to create a routine that works.
Three Practical Steps to a Daily Homeschool Routine
One of the biggest working homeschool mom mistakes you can make is to “wing it” when it comes to fitting homeschooling into your day. After all, you plan your work routine, right?
As you navigate these steps, the most important thing to keep in mind is your family and their dynamics. Keep them at the center of all you do as you plan for your homeschool. I say this because it’s really easy to play the copycat and comparison game. What works for one family may not work for your family, and that’s okay.
Use these three practical steps to establish a meaningful routine that supports your family.
Establish Goals
I know you’re probably thinking that setting homeschool goals isn’t necessary for creating a routine. However, setting goals for your homeschool routine can change how you create it. It can also affect whether everyone is willing to follow it.
A few goals to consider:
- To create structure in your homeschool days
- Helping your children (and yourself) be more productive
- To make the school year more meaningful (and fun)
- To give children set starting and ending times for “school” work
These are just a few examples, but great places to start. When you and your children set a “light at the end of the tunnel” for your plans, it can provide a boost of motivation.
Consider creating these goals with your children as well. When you work on goal-setting with your children, you may help them be more open to following through once your homeschooling goals are complete.
Consider Every Area of Life
It’s easy to view homeschooling as a separate entity and plan for it specifically without considering the broader context. Not only does that create confusion, but it can be disastrous.
When creating your daily homeschool routine, consider everything else your family does. Factors such as mealtimes, extracurricular activities, and time for errands are just as important.
Write down time frames (or time blocks) in which these tasks and activities are normally completed. Let’s say you eat breakfast between 7:00 AM and 8:30 AM.
Maybe you still have a child who take naps between 12:00 PM and 2:00 PM. Or maybe there are soccer or karate lessons two to three times a week between 4:00 PM and 5:00 PM, with dinner following at 6:30 PM.
All of these times are important, so you can see what time is left for homeschooling. Write down everything so you can put a time to it. And don’t forget to include breaks!
Record Your Daily Homeschool Routine
Even if you’re not the homeschool planner type, you still need to use something you can see. It’s a major perk if it’s something your children can see as well (at least those who can read). The idea behind writing down your daily homeschool routine is to avoid having to memorize what you’re doing and when.
Moms who work from home, parent, run a household and homeschool are busy. Our brains are full.
Do you ever notice how things can quickly become stressful and overwhelming when you’re trying to think about this, remember to do that, and so on? Getting in the habit of writing things down can lift a huge weight off your mind – especially when it comes to following a homeschool routine.
Regardless of your planner style, ensure it includes a few pages for writing down your general routine. Your general schedule should include everything your family will do that day, including eating, homeschooling (not a subject-by-subject breakdown), napping, playing outside, extracurricular activities, and so on. I also write during my work-from-home hours.
Use a Block Schedule
Use a block schedule kind of layout if you want the easiest flow. The idea is to create this schedule so it points directly back to the goals you established in step one. Your routine should say, “When this is followed, we are (better structured, more productive, having fun, etc.)”. Also, never hesitate to make any necessary changes. If a few weeks have passed and you notice that nap time needs to be adjusted, make the adjustment.
Your daily homeschool routine should always complement and serve your family. In the end, it’s the total purpose of having one in the first place.
